1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a character data input apparatus suitable for use in a portable computer to which characters in handwriting can be input.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 21 shows an example of structure of a character inputting means in a conventional portable computer. In a character input screen formed for example of an LCD and a tablet, there is displayed a type plate A as a window on a page plate F. The type plate A has a plurality of squares B. When a character handwritten with a pen E is input to a tablet in a square B where a character cursor C is located, a locus traced by the pen E is displayed in the square B. The traced locus is then subjected to pattern recognition and a character obtained as a result of the pattern recognition is displayed in the square B instead of the traced locus. In the present example, there are input and displayed characters "3", "A", and "-" in three squares B.
Here, it is difficult to determine whether the character "-" displayed in the third square B is a minus sign "-" or a hyphen "-". Therefore, there is provided a character kind indicator portion D at the lower right of the type plate A to indicate to which character kind of `capital`, `number`, `symbol`, and `Greek` the character displayed in the square B where the character cursor C is located belongs. More specifically, when the character is a capital, the indicator for `capital` is lighted. Likewise, when the character is a number, a symbol, or a Greek letter, the indicator for `number`, `symbol`, or `Greek` is lighted. By looking at the display in the character kind indicator portion D, the user is enabled to determine that the character displayed in the square B where the character cursor C is located is `capital` letter, `number`, `symbol`, or `Greek` letter.
In the conventional character data input apparatus, as described above, it was arranged such that the kind of the character displayed in the square B where the character cursor C is located is displayed in the character kind indicator portion D. Since the type plate A has eight squares B, in order to know the kind of the character displayed in a square B, the character cursor C must be shifted to that square. This has been an inconvenience.